A year of innovation, scientific discovery, and emerging technology experiences across Australia. Explore symposium highlights, biotechnology outreach programs, STEM showcases, student innovation challenges, and collaborative learning events that shaped the 2023 BIOTech Futures journey.
Symposium 2023
2023 Symposium
A Triumph of Innovation and Ingenuity
2023 Symposium Recap
A large-scale celebration of science, innovation, and emerging technology, bringing together students, researchers, educators, and industry leaders from Australia and around the world.
A celebration of innovation
The BIOTech Futures Symposium brought together students, teachers, parents, academics, and industry representatives for a large-scale celebration of innovation, scientific research, and emerging technologies.
By the numbers
More than 200 attendees
23 finalist teams from across Australia
Over 450 participating students globally
Science fair and project showcase
Robotics and VR demonstrations
Guest speakers from AI, robotics, and sustainability sectors
Recognising the best
Overall winning project: "C-Pal" therapeutic toys for children with Cerebral Palsy
Best Presentation Award: "Squeezable Bone Paste for Critical Bone Defects"
The day in full
The Symposium featured finalist teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Canberra, and rural Australia, alongside international participants from New Zealand, the United States, Romania, and Jordan.
Students presented innovative projects addressing healthcare, medicine, engineering, sustainability, and humanitarian challenges. The event also included a science fair where teams presented posters and prototypes to panels of academics and researchers.
Distinguished guest speakers shared insights into artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, sustainability, and future scientific innovation. Interactive sponsor exhibitions allowed attendees to experience virtual reality systems, robotic technology, and hands-on STEM activities.
The Symposium reinforced BIOTech Futures' commitment to supporting young innovators through experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and industry-connected STEM education.
2023 Symposium
3D Virtual Reality and AI
BIOTech Futures Symposium 2023
An immersive Symposium exploring the future of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and virtual reality through student innovation, expert keynote talks, and interactive STEM exhibitions.
Biotech meets AI and VR
The 2023 BIOTech Futures Symposium explored the intersection of biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality through keynote presentations, student showcases, science fair exhibitions, and interactive STEM experiences.
What happened on the day
Finalist presentations from the BIOTech Futures Challenge
Interactive science fair and sponsor exhibitions
Robotics and virtual reality demonstrations
Guest speaker sessions on AI and biotechnology
National and international student participation
Voices from across STEM
Distinguished Professor Fang Chen
Dr. Peter Newman
Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte
Prizes and recognition
Overall Winner — $2500 + Lab Tour
Overall Runner-Up — $1000 + Lab Tour
Best Report Award
Best Prototype Award
Science Fair Award
The day in full
The Symposium showcased student innovation projects focused on medicine, environmental sustainability, humanitarian technology, and emerging scientific research. More than 450 students from across Australia and internationally participated in the Challenge program leading up to the event.
Throughout the day, attendees engaged with interactive exhibitions, academic researchers, university representatives, and industry sponsors including Google, Sydney Nano, and faculties from The University of Sydney.
Guest speakers explored the future of artificial intelligence, robotics, tissue engineering, and data-driven scientific research, highlighting how emerging technologies are transforming healthcare and global problem-solving. The event concluded with project awards recognising innovation, research quality, scientific communication, and prototype development.
2023 Outreach
Murrumbidgee Regional High School
Biotechnology Outreach Event
A hands-on biotechnology outreach program designed to inspire regional students through scientific demonstrations, VR medical imaging experiences, and presentations from leading researchers.
Inspiring regional students
BIOTech Futures hosted a full-day biotechnology outreach event designed to inspire students through interactive STEM activities, guest presentations, and hands-on learning experiences.
What happened on the day
Participation from more than 200 students
Biotechnology and STEM presentations
Hands-on scientific activities
Virtual Reality medical imaging demonstrations
Interactive learning experiences
Voices from across STEM
Professor Hala Zreiqat
Dr. Pooria Lesani
Dr. Peter Newman
The day in full
The event introduced students to biotechnology, scientific research, and emerging technologies through engaging presentations and immersive learning activities.
Professor Hala Zreiqat shared her academic and research journey, discussing perseverance, innovation, and the importance of continued learning in science and engineering. Dr. Pooria Lesani presented research involving fluorescent nanoparticles and their applications in biotechnology and medicine, while Dr. Peter Newman explored future-focused technologies and scientific innovation.
Students also participated in practical biotechnology activities and explored virtual reality systems designed for 3D medical imaging. The outreach program aimed to encourage curiosity, scientific exploration, and long-term interest in STEM education and careers.
2023 Program Launch
Queensland Chapter
Official Launch
The official launch event for the BIOTech Futures Queensland Chapter, introducing students to mentorship, biotechnology innovation, and collaborative STEM learning opportunities.
Launching in Queensland
The official launch of the BIOTech Futures Queensland Chapter brought together students, mentors, and organisers from across the state to begin the annual Challenge program.
What happened on the day
Hosted with the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Joint Biomechanics
Participation from students across Years 8–12
Introduction to the BIOTech Futures program
Networking between students and mentors
Presentation on innovation and scientific research opportunities
The day in full
The launch event introduced participants to the history, mission, and development of BIOTech Futures since its establishment. Students learned about the organisation's focus on mentorship, scientific innovation, and collaborative STEM education.
Speakers encouraged students to engage closely with mentors, embrace constructive feedback, and develop innovative research solutions throughout the Challenge program. The event also marked the beginning of a multi-week project development period leading toward final presentations later in the year.
The Queensland launch reinforced BIOTech Futures' commitment to expanding opportunities for high school students interested in biotechnology, engineering, medicine, and scientific research.